How to kill an old man Slowly
by Alastor Mad-Eye Moody
Summary: Alastor Moodys views on Tonks's love for Remus Lupin. This is between OoP and HBP, where Tonks gets depressed


_**How to Kill an Old Man Slowly**_

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**_**Character:**Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody, Nymphodora Tonks and mentions of Remus Lupin

**Warning:** Non

**Pairing: **mentions of Tonks/Lupin, beginning HBP, When Tonks was Depressed

**Summary:** Moodys views on Tonks and her love of a Werewolf, while he's waiting for her to return from Hogwarts after Saving Harry from the Train.

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He sighed, checking his pocket watch again, for what felt like the millionth time that day, he looked up the street...and then down it again, cursing under his breath "where in Merlins beard is dat girl" he muttered to himself as he leaned against a wall. making sure his back was covered and so no one could just apparate behind him... he was already on edge at not only having to be out in the open...but alone...without backup...or someone to watch his back...he checked his watch again "46.3 minutes late...." he growled his magic eye darting from side to side as he checked his watch and swung it back into his pocket... "she should know better dan dis!"

He readjusted his hat, to cover his eye more... "why de hell did she have te go an fall in /love/" he thought to himself, grimacing at the thought of love!..."get yourself hurt...killed even! if ya havn't got yer mind 100% on de job" muttered as he watched a business man in a black suit hurry passed him...he smirked...how could he not? ... "standing here...protectin de muggle and magic worlds from Voldemort an de muggles are clueless"...shakes his head, checking his watch again... "When I get through wit dat girl..." he muttered to himself, cursing the day she met Remus Lupin!

He shifted his weight slightly, standing around for this long was painful for him...she should effin know that... he grimaced as a slow pain started to work its way up his leg...well...what was left of it, he was sweating, and his scars itched..."curse dat girl te hell an back...where de hell is she! 1hour 14 min 34...no... 7 seconds...she'll have an earful from me if its de last thing I do!" he muttered a little to loudly earning an odd look from several passers by...which he just sneered at and they ran along on there busy little way...

He sighed leaning more heavily against the wall... he had to admit to himself that he missed what she used to be...even if the pink hair did bother him something awful, at first...she was his best student...with a hell of alot to prove to him...and she had never failed to make him proud..."Lupin" he snorted in disgust ... shaking his head...checking his watch again. "Why cant de girl understand dat him being away from her is fir de best"...a frown-line deepened as a pulse of pain shot up the back of his thigh ending somewhere just at the beginning of his back...he was used to this...but it was getting late... he'd gotten word that Harry had a run in with Draco Malfoy... and that she would miss the train back ... but standing outside of Kingcross Station waiting for her... he took out his hip-flask and emptied the remainder of it, and sighed in relief, as the minor painkillers laced water went to work on his leg, which was pulsing painfully and regularly now...

He looked up and down the street again... thinking about how different she had become...no longer the vibrant young lady, with hair to match...and maybe just a little to clumsy for her own good. Now just a broken woman...torn appart by love of a man who denied her what she wanted...He had noticed something was wrong when she hadn't bitten his head off for calling her Nymphodora...he shook his head at the thought. remembering how his stomach dropped when he realized he'd accidentally called her that and expected another lecture on it...and then how it dropped further when she said nothing about it...

He hadn't said anything then, but he knew something was wrong, then one day she just seemed to change all together... he had known she fancied Remus...the way she kept sneaking glances of him in the order meeting and how she started to trip over that accursed troll foot umbrella stand every time he walked in the door, the way her hair colour went a slightly brighter shade when he was around...how she refined her features to make herself even more beautiful in Remus's eyes, and now... her mourning...her dark paleness that broke his heart just to look at her ... her patronus...

He bit his lip, holding back a groan, as a stronger wave of pain hit running like an electric shock up his leg ....making his stomach clench into a tight ball, as he tried not to double over, he checked his watch once he'd been able to compose himself...wondering how long he'd been standing there that the painkillers had worn off....2 hours 23 min 2 sec.... "Merlin help us" he groaned, wiping the sweat of his brow and the readjusting his hat...."a werewolf"...

He looked up and saw her...inwardly torn, at how miserable she looked...but he scowls angrily at her...he knows shes worried about Remus...and admittedly so is he....but to reduce her to this, he felt his heart spasm as she stood in front of him, beaten down...weathered...willing to stand still and take him yelling at her....the old Tonks he knew would never have done that...the old Tonks would have come bouncing down the street pink hair, sharp features...maybe chewing gum that matched her hair... she would have walked up popped the gum within an inch of his face as said "Wotcher Mad-Eye"...not stalk forward and look like her best friend just dies...though he guest...the look was apt giving the circumstances of where Remus was at the moment...

"Nymphodora..." he greeted her with a curt nod, she didn't even blink, he sighed...unable to stop himself..."lets get ya home...ya look like death" she mearly nodded, he took hold of her wrist and they apparated...she stood outside her door, not looking up and muttered "Sorry I was so late...." he grunted his acceptance...if she had been her normal self he would have still been ripping her a new one...but hitting someone while they were down wasn't Moodys style "its fine Tonks...good night" he started to limp away

"Goodbye "...that sliced him deeply...worse than any crucio he's ever endured....worse than loosing his leg...worse than anything, he felt a tear run down his cheek...riding his scars until there was nothing left of it...he missed the days when he was Mad-Eye and she was Tonks-or-else!

He checked his watch for the last time that day and looked back to find no one there...no one smirking cheekily back at him...he sighed... "one day Tonks...one day....Remus Lupin will be de death o ya...I hope te Merlin dat I aint alive te see dat" he said it to no one...just to the wind...he groaned remembering his leg...and with that he apparated.


End file.
